The Relationship Between Motor Development Affordances in the Home Environment and Executive Functions of 8 to 10-Year-Old Rural Children (With the Approach of the Effect of the Living Environmental Context)

Research evidence indicates that the environment is an important factor in improving children's development. However, little research has been done in the rural children population regarding the effect of motor affordances on cognitive abilities. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the developmental environment affordances of rural children and their executive functions enhancement.

The present research was an ex-post facto correlational study, which was conducted as field research with applied research purposes. The statistical population of this study was 8 to 10-year-old primary school children (Mean age = 9.10) of East Azerbaijan province from which 93 children were selected through random cluster sampling method as the study samples to participate in the study. To measure the motor development affordances in the home environment, the AGMDQ-1, and to measure the executive functions,  BRIEF test were used.

Based on the results of the multiple linear regression test, a positive significant relationship was observed between motor affordances and inhibition (P=0.042) and between motor affordances and initiation (P=0.008) in 8 to 10-year-old children. Also based on the results, no significant relationship was observed between motor development affordances including stimulants, home environment and active toys, and other components of executive functions (P>0.05).

Based on the results of the present research, children's living environment is an important factor in predicting the components of their executive functions. Accordingly, it is suggested that to improve executive functions during childhood, children should be in richer environments (in terms of the presence of affordances such as active toys).